Rare Omega Constellation Manhattan Skeleton


Constellation Skeleton BC 166.1204.060. Elegantly skeletonised with blackened gold hands

Chances are - no matter how long you have collected Omega vintage watches - you haven’t stumbled across this neo-vintage masterpiece.  Produced in 1995, the straight lugged Omega Constellation Skeleton above was one of only twenty pieces produced in white gold.

Two other editions with this modified Manhattan case style were released in batches of twenty pieces in yellow gold and pink gold. A further fifty pieces in the up-dated Manhattan integrated bracelet case were produced in eighteen karat solid gold.  In all, only one hundred and ten skeleton Constellations were produced.

The Skeleton collection accompanied another limited-edition series, the Manhattan Observatory Collection of fifty numbered pieces featuring a solid gold dial with a cloisonné observatory centre disc.  Both collections were created for the launch of the Constellation Manhattan face-lift, and first appeared at the prestigious Watches and Jewellery exhibition in New York in 1995.  

The Constellation Skeleton movement is a variation of the Omega automatic chronometer 1120, which was based on the Horological Hall-of-Fame ETA calibre 2892-A2.  Designated as a calibre 1225 because of its superb craftmanship, the movement was skeletonised entirely by hand to achieve lightness and elegance without compromising its robustness and precision. Each piece was cut out, filed, bevelled and engraved by an individual master watchmaker at Omega’s revitalised in-house Atelier created to continue the tradition of decorative arts in watchmaking.




The limited-edition skeleton and cloisonné Constellations were offered to high-end collectors and prestige watch boutiques and were snapped up quickly.  Several have changed hands privately, but I cannot recall having seen one surface at a public auction.  They belong in the rarefied sphere of serious collecting because of their exquisite rendering and their very limited numbers.

9 comments:

  1. Well I saw this one on a particular auction for around 9000 usd, perhaps anyone interested I could give the link as well....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There you go...


      https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/v501868844

      Delete
  2. Anonymous3:09 pm

    I do not know if it's just me or if perhaps everybody else experiencing issues with your site.
    It appears like some of the written text on your posts are running off the screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well?

    This might be a issue with my web browser because
    I've had this happen before. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm Is it one of the more obscure browsers because most mainstream browsers don't seem to distort the page

      Cheers

      Desmond

      Delete
  3. Anonymous4:23 pm

    I think the movement number is incorrect. The standard Omega Cal was 1120, so I guess the movement is called 1125. But anyone great article. It helped me a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right. Some how I typed a 2 instead of a 1. Original calibre is 1120, but skeleton is styled 1225.

      Cheers

      Desmond

      Delete
  4. Eduardo Iorizzo8:36 am

    Hi Desmond, i have one of this in rose gold. Is really exquisite.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Eduardo,

      You are a lucky man indeed! If you would like to provide a photograph of it, or two, I will gladly add it to this post.

      Just click on the email icon in the "About Me" section if you wish to communicate.

      regards

      Desmond

      Delete